Device for locking the strip-tightening shaft of a buffing wheel or the like



G. A. SAALINGER DEVICE FOR LOCKING THE STRIP-TIGHTENING July '5, 1949. 2,475,555

' SHAFT OF BUFFING WHEELS OR THE LIKE Filed June 8, 1948 2 mmmmiiiij Em w 1'1 i9 INVENTOR. GEORGE A. SAAUNGER ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED s ENING SHAFT OF THE LIKE THE STRIP-TIGHT- A BUFFING *WHEEL O R George A. Saalinger,Pittsburgh-Ba. Application June 8, 1948, Serial No. 31,744

iThisninvention relates to polishing or buffing wheels having provision *for removably securing castrip of surfacing material peripherally thereon and, in particular, to means for locking a tightening shaftxhaving a slot-through which the ends of ithetstriprarepassed-after limited rotation of the shaft .e'to :tension the strip and contract it about the'iwheel.

Thestrip-tightening shafts of buffing wheels have heretofore-been provided with a ratchet wheel andta locking pawl. cooperating therewith :haskbeen mountedon aside of the bufiingwheel. :ltrhas been.foundgrhowever,that the pawl is Jsubjectitoiconsiderable wear and sometimes be- :COl'llES .discngageiaprobably because of vibration rortforcessincident to the rotation of the wheel at high speed. This permits the strip of surfacing material :torslip or cometoff the wheel altogether. The object of my invention, therefore, is to provide means for more securely locking the shaft .soasitohold thestrip tight. at alltimesa A further object is to provide a simple andeasily operable locking means adapted to various kinds of bufiing or polishing wheels.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention, 1

provide :a frame including two pins extending throughthe wheel, one on each side of the shaft and connected by side plates, one on each side ofthe wheel. One of the plates has a hole therein shaped-tomake locking engagement with a holding member, suchas a toothed wheel, fixed on the shaft. The frame is movable by hand to cause the locking side plate to disengage the holding member. Springs normally hold the frame in such position as to maintain locking engagement of the side plate with the holding member.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating a present preferred embodiment. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bufiing wheel having the invention applied thereto with a portion broken away to show parts in section;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the slotted shaft turned to strip-tightening position;

Figure 3 is a partial side elevation showing the toothed wheel on the tightening shaft and the locking plate cooperating therewith;

Figure 4 is a partial section taken along the plane of line IV-IV of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the parts in an alternate position.

'10 Glaims. (Cl. 51-194) Referring now in detail rtoathe drawings, a buffing wheel l0 comprises a :hub ll adapted to be mounted onanyrsuitablerdriving shaft, a rim l2 and :side 'webs 13 extending between the hub and rim. The'rim I2has :a:.transverse slot [2 therein adapted:toreceivetthesends of a strip it of surfacing material, such as emery cloth, disposed about the periphery of the wheel. A. shaft l5 extending'parallel to theaxis ofathe wheel betweenuthe hub :andrimfisjournaled in the side webs I 3 and has a lon'gitudinaltslot I 6 extending transversely therethrough. Thetendsof the strip it, after being'inserted'throughrithe slot lZ are entered into the slot J6=whereupon rotation of the shaft l5 tightens the strip or band I l snugly around the wheel.

The shaft I 5 has a'holding :member I l secured at one endvthereof and exposed on the outside of one of the-webs l3. Thismember. may take the form of a toothed wheel, as shown inFigure 3. For cooperating-with .the;member I? .to secure the shaft 151111 the positionszshown ;in Figure 2, I provide locking plate =|J8 ,non-rotatably mounted on the wheelifor movement axially there of into andout of cooperative-position with the wheel H. The :plate'lll'has a hole 19 therein, the periphery of which is *notched to conform to the'teeth-of-wheel IT. The plate 18 is mounted on through pins'20 parallel to the shaft l5, one

oneach side thereof, the: pins being 'slidable in holes in the webs 3. The ends of the'pins on the side 'of t'he wheelopposite that on which the plate I3 is disposed areuconnecte'd *by a plate 2 l. The plates l8 and 2| with the pins 28 form a frame movable as a. unit.

The pins 20 are turned down adjacent the ends to which the plate [8 is secured and compression springs 22 are disposed thereon between the resulting shoulders 23 intermediate the ends of the pins and the web [3 on the side on which the holding member I? is located. Thus the springs tend to urge the pins 20 and plates is and 2! in a direction such as to bring the plate It into interlocking engagement with the wheel ll.

When it is desired to turn the shaft [5 either to tighten the strip M or permit replacement thereof, it is only necessary to shift the frame composed of the pins 20 and plates I8 and 2f by manual pressure on the last-mentioned plate. This shifts the parts to the positions shown in Figure 5 and permits the shaft [5 to be turned as by a key 24., When the desired adjustment of the shaft 15 has been made, the plate It will be restored to locking engagement with the wheel I! when pressure on the plate 21 is released, thus or permitting the springs 22 to shift the frame back to the position shown in Figure 4.

The invention is characterized by numerous advantages over prior devices for locking the strip-tightening shaft of a buffing wheel. In. the first place, the plate it is always securely held in looking relation to the holding member or toothed wheel If? by the springs 22 but may be easily moved by manual pressure to the disengages. position. The arrangement of the parts is such, however, that disengagement will not result from vibration or from centrifugal force or other forces incident to the rotation of the wheel at high speed. slippage or loosening of the surfacing strip on the rim of the wheel is thus effectively prevented. The locking effect on the tight ening shaft is greatly multiplied as compared to the pawl used heretofore since each tooth on the wheel engages a notchin the locking plate. This minimizes wear and greatly prolongs the useful life of the mechanism' Although I have illustrated and described only a preferred embodiment, it will be recognized that changes in the details of the construction disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means for locking the strip-tightening shaft of a bufiing wheel or the lilre comprising a frame slidable in the wheel parallel to said shaft, said frame including a pair of pins, one on each side of the shaft, and a plate having a toothed hole therein adapted to receive a toothed wheel on said shaft.

2. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by compression springs on said pins urging them toward the position in which the plate makes locking engagement with the holding member.

3. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by said plate being on one side of the buffing wheel and said frame including a plate on the other side of the buffing wheel to facilitate shifting of the frame by manual pressure.

4. Locking means for a buffing wheel or the like having a slotted shaft rotatably mounted therein parallel to the axis and between the hub and rim for receiving the ends of a surfacing strip disposed around the wheel, said means comprising a plate overlying one end of the shaft and having a hole therein shaped to make locking engagement with a holding member fixed on said shaft, and means on the wheel holding said plate against rotation but mounting it for movement axially of the shaft into and out of locking engagement with said member.

5. The apparatus defined by claim 4 characterized by means normally urging said mounting means toward the position in which the plate makes locking engagement with the holding member.

6. The apparatus defined by claim 4 characterized by said means including a pin parallel to said shaft and slidable in said buffing wheel.

7. The apparatus defined by claim 4 characterized by a spring urging" said pin toward the position in which the plate makes locking engagement with the, holding member;

8. Means for locking the strip-tightening shaft of a buffing wheel or the like comprising a plate having a non-circular hole therein in axial alignment with the shaft and shaped to receive a holding member on said shaft, and a pair of pins slidable in the wheel parallel to said shaft, said plate being fixed on said pins on one side of the wheel.

9. The apparatus defined by claim 5 characterized by springs normally urging said pins toward the position in whichthe plate makes locking engagement with the holding member.

10. Looking means for the strip-tightening shaft of a bufiing wheel comprising a frame slidable through the wheel parallel to the shaft, said frame including a plurality of pins spaced about said shaft and a pair of side plates, one on each side of the wheel, and a holding member fixed to one end of said shaft, one of said plates having a hole therein shaped to have mating engagement with said member.

GEORGE A. SAALINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 505,683 Stubbe Sept. 26, 1893 863,276 Hobby Aug. 13, 1907 1,326,836 Bendix Dec. 30, 1919 1,507,603 Helin et al. Sept. 9, 1924 1,631,798 Davol June '7, 1927 2,094,999 McLaughlin et a1. Oct. 5, 1937 2,130,409 Aulson Sept. 20, 1938 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,475,555 July 5, 1949 GEORGE A. SAALIN GER It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4, line 13, claim 7, for the reference numeral 4 read 6 line 25, claim 9, for the claim reference numeral 5 read 8;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of December, A. D. 1949.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommz'm'oner of Patents. 

